When Tom replied gently to Zeigler, and asked him privately why he annoyed him without cause, the fellow sneered the more at him.

He took pains to indulge in profanity and obscenity before Tom, and received the full reward he sought when he saw how much his course grieved him.
Finally Tom struck the remedy.

It was simple.

He showed perfect indifference toward his persecutor.

When Zeigler made a cutting remark, he acted as if he did not hear him.